[AutoIndian]

Friends,

I did the servicing of my car's AC on 29th April, the first ever time & thought of sharing the whole experience with you. Though the AC was effective when driven with single occupant, it was not sufficient when car was fully loaded & rear passengers could rarely feel the flow. Moreover there was an upcoming trip to my native village where max temperatures were hovering in the range of 44 degree celcius. Hence I did not want to take any chances & got the AC system overhauled more from the preventive maintenance point of view. On last Monday took the car to the nearby AC repair shop, J D Enterprises (Jai Ganesh Vision, Akurdi) at 10am. The proprietor Donald (with whom I had fixed a prior appointment) promptly attended my car. He started the AC & checked the grill temperature just by feeling it. He said the grill temperature is good, but the flow is not sufficient. This being a Behr AC, the complete dashboard had to be removed to access the cooling (evaporator) coil. Vikas, the mechanic started opening the dashboard. The other mechanic Vijay had not reported on duty by that time (he turned up one hour late @ 11:30am). Just opening of dash took 2.5 hours & yes before opening, all the existing gas was released. The sequence of steps in AC servicing (with pictures) was as below:

Dashboard opened


Cooling coil before cleaning


Cooling coil & Blower Assembly cleaned



Heater Assly with flap adjustment mechanism inspected


Leakage Testing done using Nitrogen


Then Leakage Testing applying Soap water


AC Compressor Lube Oil filled


Vacuuming done to remove traces of Nitrogen


Car AC started & R134a Gas filled till sufficient coil temperature reached


The dashboard reassembly began At 3pm & was completed @ 5:30pm. Donald then brought a digital probe thermometer & put it on central coil to measure the temperature. Within 5 minutes it dropped down from 37 deg C to 1 deg C & then below freezing point. Ideally at 3-4 deg C the thermostat should have got activated & cut the off the compressor, but that did not happen. Donald then did some thermostat adjustment & it began working. Now the air flow had increased considerably. I then took a small test drive & observed than the steering wheel was offset from the centre position. Vikas then adjusted it to the correct position. I finally left that garage @ 5:30pm. I was charged Rs 2500. Normally they charge Rs 2800 for Behr AC & Rs 2500 for Subros. However since I was referred there by Venus Auto (my garage for regular servicing), I was given a discount of Rs 300.

In the last 5 days, I traveled 850 kms with 4 adults & loads of luggage in temperatures hovering around 44 deg C & (touchwood) the AC & the car behaved flawlessly (sunfilms did help a lot in keeping the cabin cool). For folks staying in Pimpri-Chinchwad area I would highly recommend this AC repair shop. Just for gas refilling/top-up he charges Rs 600 & top-up along with leakage testing (with Nitrogen & soap solution), he charges Rs 1200. He does the AC repairs right from Maruti to Mercedes cars.

[AutoIndian]

Unfortunately an issue has cropped up in my car's AC. Yesterday night while returning from office I observed that air coming out of AC vents is not that chilled. I assumed that coming out from the AC in office, I might not be feeling the cars AC. Moreover nights in Pune are not so warm. However today morning @ 10am when I started the car & AC it was just blowing air, no chilling effect. It seems all the gas filled during the last weeks AC servicing has leaked. While servicing it was observed that there was a minor leakage in the gas return pipe & Donald from the AC workshop had proposed a replacement of that pipe, but the cost was on the higher side (Rs 800), hence I had declined. He said the leak was very minor & would not cause much problem. However it seems the AC system had different plans. I called up Donald today morning & he told me to bring in the car. I am quite tied-up today & tomorrow. Hence will be able to make it only on Saturday. Till then I will have to bear the Pune heat. I was lucky that this problem didn't crop up during my 850kms trip to one of the hottest places in Maharashtra.

[Amazing]

I am facing a strange problem in my indica DLX.

Last saturday, the car would not start in the parking , only I could hear a whinning sound means the starter motor is moving. [ Battery is new and is fully charged , full horn sound and lights there , so no battery issues]. But the engine wont crank. Tried many times and gave up.

Went to the Lucas shop in KSB chowk, got them at home. Tried to push start but did nt work. but what happend is that , when i tried cranking it, car started instantly. after that , tried many times for 3 days, it started flawlessly.

Again yesterday night at 9 pm , in office parking , car wont start. Left it there, cameback home. Morning again after i reached office parking , took help of 2 guys to push the car ...and cranked after taht, it srated as if there was no issue.

Took the car to Lucas shop, they are saying that , :

- need to open startet motor.
- may be the coupling/ drive between starter motor and engine flywheel is broken. So, its slipping. Need to open to check . Slotting is not happening correctly.
-So, either that flywheel is damaged or the teeth of the slotting gear is starter motor is damaged.

I came back ,again just to observe for few more days

Pls suggest what can be the issue and what I should look fwd to get it corrected/ replaced ?

Car is 5 years old with OEM starter motor.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by Amazing

Took the car to Lucas shop, they are saying that

- need to open startet motor.
- may be the coupling/ drive between starter motor and engine flywheel is broken. So, its slipping. Need to open to check . Slotting is not happening correctly.
-So, either that flywheel is damaged or the teeth of the slotting gear is starter motor is damaged.

I think Lucas' direction of diagnosis is correct. Many a times car doesn't start, because the coupling gets stuck up & does not engage the flywheel. Push starting the car releases the coupling & after that the car starts normally. After opening the starter if the diagnosis is found to be correct, then tell only to replace the damaged part.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Unfortunately an issue has cropped up in my car's AC. I am quite tied-up today & tomorrow. Hence will be able to make it only on Saturday.

Luckily I could find some time to go to the workshop today morning. Though the shop had not opened one of the mechanics (Vikas) had already reached the place. Told him the issue. He started the car & found out that the AC compressor was not working even after switching on the AC. There could be 2 reasons for this he said, either the AC fuse has blown off or there is no gas in the circuit. After opening the bonnet he observed that there were oil drops around the (gas filling) valve, indicating that the gas would be leaking from there. Also there was leakage from the compressor outlet pipe (high pressure line) (checked by filling nitrogen & applying soap water). It was there earlier as well, but it was very minute. Since I drove the car for 1000 kms in very hot conditions, this leakage could have been aggravated & now there was no option but to replace that pipe. New pipe costed Rs 800/- The leaking pipe was replaced with a new one (have taken a picture, but will post it later), also the valve pin was replaced. Leakage testing done using Nitrogen & soap water & this time no leaks were observed. Nitrogen was removed & vacuum cleaning of the circuit was done. Then R134a gas was refilled, while keeping the engine & AC on. Took around 30 mins. Now the blower started throwing cool air. The total charges Rs 2000/- (600 for gas, another 600 for leakage testing with Nitrogen & 800 for the pipe). On requesting him to charge reasonably, he reduced Rs 500 & took Rs 1500/- The AC has become an absolute chiller now. Hope it stays that was for months & years to come.

Car has one more issue. When the engine is extremely hot (temperature needle at centre mark), there is hardly any response to the throttle, car takes ages to pick up. Car behaves absolutely normal when the engine is cold or the temperature needle is at quarter mark or lower. The reason is also known, the FIP. It seems at high engine temperatures (due to increased clearances), the FIP is not able to pump enough fuel to pull the car. I will have to get this addressed from Lucas. It would be a costly affair (around 15-16K) & would take 2 days. So I am postponing it till the 130K service of my car. When I do this oil change service I will get the FIP serviced (rotor replaced if required). Till then I will have to manage with this issue for the next 5K kms.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

The leaking pipe was replaced with a new one (have taken a picture, but will post it later)

Here is the picture. The area marked in red is from where the gas was leaking.

[arun_josie]

Anyone has idea about engine oil capacity for Indica DLS? Is it 3lit/4lit/5lit?

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Anyone has idea about engine oil capacity for Indica DLS? Is it 3lit/4lit/5lit?

Hi Arun, I have pasted below the screen shot from Indica owner's manual. As you can clearly see the engine oil quantity is 5.5 litres for the TCIC (turbocharged) engine & 4 litres for the NA (Naturally Aspirated) Indica. Hope this helps.

[AutoIndian]

From last 3 days my my RHS rear power window glass was stuck at halfway mark. It was neither going down nor coming up. In order to prevent rain water getting inside I taped one transparent polythene sheet over the open portion. It served me well for 3 days & prevented rain water getting inside. Today I went to my garage, Venus Auto, Chinchwad. On opening the panel & removing the winder assembly, it was found, as usual, the steel rope had slipped over the centre pulley & there was no option for me but to replace the assembly. Went to Pandit TASC in Bhosari. The guy there said I will have to purchase the winder assly with motor, costing Rs 3,800/-. For the older models TML has long back stopped stocking just the winder assemblies. The garage mechanic told me that I would be better off getting it from outside TASCs. Fortunately I could get one from a shop in Kasarwadi for just Rs 650/-. The garage mechanic fitted it, greased the slider & oiled the glass guides (labor charges Rs 200/-). It is working fine now.

Besides this there is another issue. I told the mechanic that off late the first, second & third gear shifting has become very hard. Getting from 1st to 2nd I can manage, however at traffic lights, when I downshift to 1st, it becomes really really hard, I have to do a lot of jugglery while slotting it. The mechanic told me that the gearbox will have to be opened & the spring needs to be replaced. Labor charge Rs 1200/- He told me that I can drive the car till the time it is manageable. I am afraid I should not get stuck up in traffic if I could not engage first gear. I am planning to get this addressed during my 130K service (still 2K kms to go), hope it won't worsen till that time. Group members please advise.

Edit: On 10th July 2013 car celebrated its 9th birthday. It was the same day in 2004, when I brought it home.

[drsingh]

congrats on the 9 year milestone.almost 130k done. all parts are bound to give some irritation due to wear and tear.I think you should get the gearbox examined and overhauled if needed.

After having crossed 100000 kms , ive been taking my indigo to the garage every six months and getting parts serviced. Wheels,electricals, lubrication and tightening for parts etc.

next up is fuel pump recalibration and service.

Thanks to your thread i have a very good idea about how to keep the car in shape and avoiding any unexpected down time.

The car is not being used much nowdays.I am using a wagon R for the city and the indigo for highway runs.


On another note ,what about your hunt for a replacement?

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

F

Edit: On 10th July 2013 car celebrated its 9th birthday. It was the same day in 2004, when I brought it home.

Congrats...it's with your and other Indica veterans that's making me maintain my 7 year old car really well.... Thank you!

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by drsingh

congrats on the 9 year milestone.almost 130k done. all parts are bound to give some irritation due to wear and tear.I think you should get the gearbox examined and overhauled if needed.

Thank you for your wishes drsingh. 100% with you, age does show up on the car. Though externally & internally my car looks as good as new, the mechanicals are showing signs of aging.

Thanks to your thread i have a very good idea about how to keep the car in shape and avoiding any unexpected down time.

My pleasure

On another note ,what about your hunt for a replacement?

Hunt for replacement is going on for last 2 years & may stretch up for one more year (I am in no hurry). As of now Ertiga is on top of the list. I am however not ruling out a preworshipped Manza as a temporary arrangement for 2-3 years

Originally Posted by deep_bang

Congrats...it's with your and other Indica veterans that's making me maintain my 7 year old car really well.... Thank you!

Thanks deep_bang. How is your Quanto doing by the way?

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Thanks deep_bang. How is your Quanto doing by the way?

The Quanto is doing great with the potholed roads in Bangalore. The only problem i see with the vehicle is that the ride is a little bumpy. Have taken it on muddy roads as well as water logged roads and the car was very nice to be in.
Mileage is at 14kmpl in the city with about 20%ac usage.. Which i think is not bad at all.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Besides this there is another issue. I told the mechanic that off late the first, second & third gear shifting has become very hard. Getting from 1st to 2nd I can manage, however at traffic lights, when I downshift to 1st, it becomes really really hard, I have to do a lot of jugglery while slotting it. The mechanic told me that the gearbox will have to be opened & the spring needs to be replaced. Labor charge Rs 1200/- He told me that I can drive the car till the time it is manageable. I am afraid I should not get stuck up in traffic if I could not engage first gear. I am planning to get this addressed during my 130K service (still 2K kms to go), hope it won't worsen till that time. Group members please advise.

Today I am feeling very lucky. The hard gear problem seems to have been resolved without even touching the gear box, fingers crossed, will have to observe for the next couple of days to confirm this.

Today morning I went to the garage to fix the hard gear issue clubbing it with the oil change service. The oil change was scheduled at 130K kms, however as advised by some senior members, I preponed it to 128K kms. I told Harish (garage owner, Venus Auto, MIDC, Chinchwad) to take a test drive. He said if the gear box has to be opened up then I will have to leave the car there for at least a day or two. I was mentally prepared for gear box dissection. After he returned from a test drive, he asked me, why the clutch pedal position was way below the brake pedal level (almost 20mm). I told him that it has been like that from the day I changed my clutch (@ 120K service). He said let us first adjust the clutch pedal height, bring it to the brake pedal level. If that does not make any difference then we will go for gear box opening.

The car was lifted on the ram. Old engine oil drained, replaced with new engine oil & oil filter. The air filter was removed & cleaned with compressed air. The primary fuel filter element only was also replaced (I had replaced both fuel filter elements @ 120K service). The car underbody & wheel rotation was checked. There was a minor play observed in the ball joint of RHS front wheel. Also there were feeble vibrations when wheel was rotated, indicating wheel bearing replacement. Ramesh (another co-owner) suggested that after the clutch pedal height adjustment we will check if that makes any difference & then we can replace the bearing & ball joint. I agreed. I then lifted the clutch pedal to a height equal to the brake pedal & the mechanic adjusted the clutch cable. Once the job was done , I then took out the car for a spin & voila the hard gear problem had disappeared into thin air. I tried all the gear combinations. Now even from standstill engaging first gear had become butter smooth. Downshifting from 3rd to 2nd was a breeze. Suddenly the gear changing experience had turned from "moving a stick in a concrete mixture" to "cutting butter with knife". Now I realized, the clutch pedal was the culprit. At signals, when I pressed the clutch pedal to the floor, the car would start moving even before releasing the pedal, indicating that the clutch was not getting disengaged completely, due to which slotting the gear was becoming very cumbersome. I was earlier happy that the clutch travel was reduced, but then it had caused a lot of heartburn while shifting gears. Hope running for the last 8K kms like this, would not have caused much damage either to the clutch or gear box. Now the clutch pedal travel has increased by at least 50%, but no issues whatsoever in slotting gears. I am going to observe for the next couple of days. If the problem gets fixed permanently then I am happy with the longer clutch travel, else I will have to open the gear box (fingers crossed).

The labor & parts break-up for the service is mentioned below:

Parts:
Assly Oil Filter -1 nos (Elofic make) 120.00
15W40 Diesel Engine Oil - 4 ltr (Petronas Urania CI-4 grade) 1,080.00
Fuel Filter primary - 1 nos (Elofic make) 125.00
Total - Part Charges 1,325.00

Labour:
Engine Oil & oil filter change, air filter cleaning, fuel filter change 200.00
Underbody inspection
Clutch pedal height adjustment
Discount -25.00
Total - Labour Charges 175.00
Grand Total = 1500

[AutoIndian]

Wanted to share my ownership experience with my car for the last 9 years. Today being a Sunday got some time to pen it down. Presenting below couple of figures & graphs, which are self explanatory:

Summary:


Maintenance Expense Graph


Maintenance Charges & Details


KMPL Chart


Anyone interested in knowing the nitty gritties can refer my car log attached below.

01-Indica_DLX_Fuel_log_Deepak.xls

As mentioned couple of times earlier, I am intending to continue with my workhorse till July 2014 (when it will complete 10 years) or 150K kms, whichever is earlier. My hunt for a replacement has started more than 2 years back. I have shifted from sedans like Manza, Verna to SUVs like Duster, Ecosport & now contemplating on MUVs like Ertiga, Innova, upcoming Brio based MPV & even Linea (in the 1.6L MJD avatar). I am in a bit of dilemma, whether to replace my Indica with a 7 seater compact MUV like Ertiga or go for 2 cars, a very compact hatch, like Nano for city & office runabouts complimented by a used people mover like Innova. The issue with the latter option is that I have only one parking space & the lesser utilized car will have to be parked out in the open on the road. Hopefully in a years time I am expecting to have a perfect replacement in my garage.